The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1887-01-08
USEFUL HOBBIES.
A Defense Against Depression and Worry
Which is Priceless.


Which is Priceless.
The tendency of American life is in
the direction of specialized knowledge.
Law and medicine have been split up
into specialties. The men who succeed
in these two professions are those who
cultivate special branches until they
become authorities in them. 1t is the
same in science. Life is too short for
q man to master more than single
department of geology or chemistry
or botany. Darwin was an exceptional
case of scientific man, with the ideal
equipment of ample means and leisure.
who was able to range over many
fields, but all his studies were brought
|. to single focus upon his speciality OF
the origin of species. The ordinary
man of science is forced to get his liv-
ing from his profession; hence if he is
to make a name for himself he must
narrow his field. of work and cultivate
it to the highest point. Such work as
this does not necessarily make man
of one idea If he has had liberal
training, the tendency is to encourage
him to take up some hobby, entirely
apart from his profession, into which
he enters with the zest of recreation.
1t matters little whether it is garden
ing or geometry, so long as he finds in
it the rest and recuperation which he
needs.
The great danger in American life
arises from the inability of business
and professional men to take daily rest
from wearisome routine. This, more
| II rtnkxr Ansixy 90
many able men to suicide or the insane
asylum or into that condition of mental
collapse which is more hopeless than
dementia. When a man takes his
business cares home with him, broods
over them throughout dinner, revolves
them in his mind when he prepares
for bed and perhaps repeats in sleep
the struggles of the day, with its de-
feats or its triumphs-when man
does this he discounts his strength and
his future. If he persists in it many
years, he will lose large measure OF
his mental and physical vigor and he
will be beyond all hope of recupera-
ton. Business then becomes tread
mill, and the door of escape is shut
upon him. There is large number
: of such men in this city and State who
: have no resources of recreation in
J themselves. The richer they get tine
more exacting is the tyranny of bust
ness cares.
: With hobby the poorest clerk o.
Q the wealthiest millionaire is supplied
; with defense against depression AM
worry which is priceless. Take th,
case of book-keeper who is confined
to his desk for eight or ten hours day
If he can cultivate taste for botan.
or geology it will give him an oppor
: tunity for regular excursions into tn
country, while he can analyze and al
: range his specimens during his lesur
hours in the evening. If he has tai
ent for mechanics, wood-carving, car
pentry, pottery or any of the hundre
/, pursuits into which enter dizziness G
hand and quickness of eye are ope
u to him. The hours which would han
i heavy on his hands were he withou
J. any hobby seem all too short for tn
u pleasant work that he comes to with
A feeling of relief He has a resourc
:, against business worry that will ad
q ten years to his life and that will stan
y him in good stead should misfortun
or loss of loved ones come upon hin
IL Is LIS SAINT WIFI IiiO IiGil lAidilf saw
II that he has opportunities to develo
l. his pastimes entirely beyond the reac
Is of the poor clerk. Practically, how
II ever, the two must stand on the san
q footing. They must cultivate tas
y for simple and wholesome pleasure
y which do not depend on money fl
J their qualification.
y The best way to insure the formatio
- of a hobby is to encourage children
9. develop their natural tastes. The
70 are few healthy boys who do not tai
J, kindly to tools or machinery. Sue
Us aptitudes should be encouraged,
IN skill in any handicraft is valuab
d. possession. When boy shows d
~ cided partiality for any science, e
~ courage him to make a collection,
III do some original work-in a wor
d. start him toward his hobby. It max
y little difference what the subject mi
rs be, SO long as the enthusiasm for stu
" and work be present. A little G
10 couragement of this sort will save mu
Y anxiety when the boy reaches that or
tn ical age when the confidence of you
~ is not tempered by the judgment
III manhood. Devotion to a hobby W
ot serve to prevent the formation of hab
SO Which may wreck promising care'
90 San Francisco Chronicle.